‘When it comes to Sunderland versus Newcastle, it’s going to be tough’, says Magpies goalkeeper Claudia Moan
GETTING “a bit of grief” over her summer transfer to Newcastle from Sunderland was a scenario Claudia Moan had prepared herself for.
However the Magpies goalkeeper, 25, is determined to put any negative noise to the back of her mind and embrace life with the Women’s Championship’s newest side.
Moan’s July switch to the Tyneside club follows a standout season with her old side
The shot stopper, who began her senior club career at Sunderland five years ago, played a significant role in her former club’s push for promotion to the top tier last term.
Moan kept ten clean sheets in 22 Championship games with the Black Cats in the thick of a five-way battle for a WSL spot, finishing five points behind division winners Crystal Palace.
It was a feat that saw her win the second tier’s Golden Glove prize three months before her move to a Newcastle team that clinched back-to-back promotions under head coach Becky Langley.
Moan, whose new side face London City Lionesses in their first game of the season at 2:00pm today side, admits she had to block out some of the negative reaction to her move.
She said: “When it (news of my transfer) reached some the men’s team fans, the first week wasn’t the best with a lot of people with their own opinions.
“It’s one of those things where you have to be aware that you are always going to get a bit of grief.
“I kept off my phone in the first week (after my move). It’s something I should have been excited about.
“But there are people who try and spoil it for you because they are looking at it the wrong way. It’s football at the end of the day.
Newcastle’s leap to the second tier will see them go toe-to-toe with the Black Cats for the first time in the Women’s Championship on October 13.
And the match could see Moan in action against her former club for the first time since her transfer to the Tyneside giants.
She adds: “For me I have to put it at the back of my mind.
“I know that when it comes to Sunderland-vs-Newcastle it’s going to be a tough day especially for me.
“And it’s just (about) trying to block out the people who don’t see it for what it is,
“The people who are trying to say I’m a traitor and this, that and the other. Some people have only seen me play for Sunderland.
“What they don’t know is I have been at Newcastle two times before this.
“I’ve been at Newcastle, then Sunderland, then Newcastle and then Sunderland, but that’s not picked up on because I was playing for development teams.
“But now I’m in the senior team, it’s like I’m now a traitor and this, that and the other.”
For Moan the motivation for move is about setting herself a new challenge within the Women’s Championship.
And she believes Newcastle, who along with London City Lionesses are being tipped as promotion contenders, will have a target on their backs.
Moan said: “I think every team’s enemy is Newcastle. It’s expected and because the team got a double promotion.
“In this league it’s whoever wants it most on the day. It’s a very, very hard league.
“The top teams could draw or could get beat by teams at the bottom because you’re either trying to survive (a fight against) relegation, or you’re trying to get promoted.
“There’s never an easy game, it’s always hard.”
Along with London City, who last December were acquired by American business tycoon Michelle Kang, who also owns US side Washington Spirit, the Magpies are one of the most minted sides in the division.
The women’s team went full-time in June last year after being officially assimilated into the club two years ago following Newcastle being taken over by a Saudi-led consortium in 2021.
Following back-to-back promotions over the last two years, Moan’s new club have demonstrated their intent in terms of trying achieve promotion for the third season in a row.
Recent signings include ex-Man City full-back Demi Stokes and ex-Chelsea and Reading defender Deanna Cooper, both of whom have experience of winning WSL titles.
And the club have also shown their faith in Langley’s leadership by giving their women’s team boss a new long-term contract.
Moan said: “Becky and the team have made it quite clear, especially after the double-promotion that they do want to go for promotion.
“We know it’s going to be a hard season and you have to work hard and fight for it, and that it might not happen, but we want to at least get into the top four.
“We want to get as high as we possibly can and make a good impactlike Southampton did when they came up.
“They shot right to the top and stayed up there and I don’t see why Newcastle can’t do that this season.”
Today’s trip to Hayes Lane for Langley’s side will see them come up against a side managed by former Paris Saint-Germain Women’s boss Jocelyn Precheur.
His team have boosted their attacking options this summer signing Sweden international forward Kosovare Asllani from AC Milan.
This week the club signed forward Isobel Goodwin from Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee thought to be a record figure for a Women’s Championship side.